Squander
by kangaleigh
Summary: Set right after Judgement Day. Abby is worried about Tony. Her and Gibbs go looking for him. Some Gabby. Little mention of Tiva. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine, obviously**

**Spoilers: Judgment Day**

**A/N: Set right after Jenny's funeral and the team finds out they are being reassigned.**

* * *

Abby was laying in his arms, her head resting on his bare chest. For the last 20 minutes, neither had spoke. She wouldn't mind laying there all day with him, but she had something else she had to do. Sitting up, she grabbed the top blanket and wrapped it around her naked body. She climbed out of bed and started searching for her clothes, which were all over the bedroom floor.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "but I have to go."

"Yeah," he said quietly, still staring at the ceiling.

"I just…There's something I have to do."

"Figured it was something like that."

Abby stopped gathering her things and looked at him. "What does that mean?" She sat on the edge of the bed next to him. "Gibbs, will you just talk to me? You've barely said a word since-".

"Yeah," he said cutting her off. "I know."

"I want to stay. Really. But… but I have to go see Tony."

Gibbs finally broke contact with the ceiling and looked her in the eye. "DiNozzo?"

"I'm worried about him."

He pushed himself into a sitting position. "Why?"

"He went home right after you left this afternoon. He wouldn't go out for a drink with us. Said he had to get his belongings together. Plus, he still feels guilty over Jenny."

"That's not his fault." Gibbs saw something in her eyes. "There's something else. What is it?"

"He's alone now, Gibbs." He raised an eyebrow at her. "He knew that he wouldn't be going through this alone. That he had help and support if he needed it. But now that he's reassigned? He just lost everyone he cares about in one afternoon." He wiped away a small tear that Abby hadn't realized escaped down her cheek.

"I'm going with you."

"I'm glad you said that."


	2. Chapter 2

Within 20 minutes, Gibbs pulled up in front of Tony's apartment building. "I don't see his car," he said looking around. "And it doesn't look like there are any lights on in his place." Abby got out of the car anyway and they made their way up to the apartment. Gibbs knocked on the door, but no one answered. Abby pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. "Didn't know you had a key," Gibbs said as they walked into the darkened apartment.

"You don't?" Abby flipped on a light. "I have a spare to everyone's place."

"Who has a key to your place?" Gibbs knocked on the bedroom door. "DiNozzo? You in there?"

"Everyone," said Abby checking the bathroom.

Gibbs opened the bedroom door. "That's dangerous, having so many spares out there." He walked in and found the light switch. The room was empty.

"Should I not trust you, Gibbs? Want me to take it back?" She walked in the room behind him.

"Take it from McGee." They walked back into the living room. "It doesn't look like he's been here."

Abby opened the refrigerator. "Nope," she said sticking her head in there. "He's still got three beers left."

"Maybe he bought more."

"No. He only bought this brand," Abby held up the bottle, "because they were out of the other. He would have finished this first." Gibbs was looking at her with an expression she couldn't decipher. "What?"

"You're not thinking of becoming and agent, are you?"

Abby laughed. "No way. They'd never let me do my own forensics." As they headed back for the car, she called Tony's cell. "Keeps going straight to voicemail." She called Ziva.

"_Hello_?"

"Hey. It's Abby. Tony with you?"

She sighed. "_No. I have not seen him since he left work_."

"Alright. I'll try calling Tim."

"_Is everything alright_?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to talk to him. I'll see you later." Abby disconnected the call.

"She hasn't seen him," Gibbs said, starting the car.

"Not since he left this afternoon." She called McGee, but he said basically the same thing. "He hasn't seen him either." She sighed and stared out the passenger window. They had been driving around with no real destination.

"I'm sure he's okay."

"Gibbs, you don't believe that either." They rode in silence for about a minute. "What if we're already too late?"

"You really think he would?"

"I don't want to." There was another minute of silence. "Do you really think I am the type to hit it and go?"

"What?"

"When I told you I had to go, you acted like you were expecting it." Gibbs didn't respond. "Or was it you just wanted me to leave?"

It was Gibbs' turn to sigh. "No."

"Really? Because that doesn't sound very convincing."

"We're going to the Yard."

"Of course we are."


	3. Chapter 3

"His car is here," Gibbs said while pulling into the empty spot next to it. They got out of the car and headed for the building. Abby gently touched his arm. She was staring across the park. He followed her gaze to a dark figure near the river. They started for it. About halfway there, Abby started running.

"Tony!" she shouted as she got closer. He turned at the sound of her voice. She jumped up on him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He picked her up and held her close with his eyes closed. "Oh, Tony. I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Abby. What are you doing here?" He didn't sound too happy.

"We're looking for you!"

"We?" He set her back down. Abby looked towards the parking lot just as Gibbs was approaching them. "Hey, Boss. Or Mr. Gibbs, since you're technically not my boss anymore."

"What are you doing out here, Tony?"

Tony turned back to the river. He took a few steps closer to the bank before Abby grabbed his arm and turned him around. "I'm just saying good-bye." He sat down on the ground. Abby sat next to him. She motioned behind Tony's back for Gibbs to sit down as well. He shook his head no. She gave him the "do-what-I-say-or-die!" look and pointed to the ground with more force. He rolled his eyes and sat on the other side of Tony.

"Do you wanna talk, Tony?" she asked resting her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Gibbs turned his gaze away. Five minutes, about, passed in silence as the trio looked out over the water. "You'd think this is the last place I'd want to be, near water. I'm going to be surrounded by it from now on. How did you know I'd be here?"

"We didn't," Gibbs said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't look for me either."

"Abby was worried about you."

"Gibbs!"

"_We_ were worried about you."

"Gee, thanks for your concern," Tony said sarcastically.

"We were worried, Tony!" Abby said lifting her head to look at him.

He placed a hand on her cheek. "I'm going to miss you, Abby. I'm going to miss you so much." He rested his forehead against hers. "There's just one thing I have to ask you."


	4. Chapter 4

"There's just one thing I have to ask you." He pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Why do you smell like sex?"

Gibbs head shot over to Abby. Without missing a beat she said, "It's my new perfume. You like it?"

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, it's nice. But why does he smell like sex?" He looked over at Gibbs.

"Because I had sex with him."

"Abby!" Gibbs nearly shouted.

"What?"

"At least someone's having a good day."

"DiNozzo!"

"All I'm saying, 'Mr. Gibbs', is at least you two have each other for comfort."

"I wouldn't count on that," Abby muttered.

"We're here for you right now," said Gibbs.

"You're really not my type."

"We're trying to talk to you here!"

"What did you mean by 'wouldn't count on that'?" Tony asked, turning his attention to Abby.

"DiNozzo! Come on-."

"What do you want me to say?!" Tony yelled, jumping up from the ground. "I should have followed her. Ziva wanted to and I said not to worry. If I had listened to her, Jenny wouldn't have died alone in that diner. She'd still be the Director, we'd still be a team, and she'd still be alive!" He walked over to a tree next to the bank. "She'd still be alive!" he screamed as if trying to get a message across the river.

"You did what you were ordered to do." Gibbs stood up.

"You wouldn't have done it. You never would have let her go off alone like that. I'm always asking myself, 'What would Gibbs do?' And when it really counts, I ignore that nagging voice in the back of my head, which, no surprise here, sounds just like you!"

"Why would you even want to be like me? Look at me!" Gibbs walked up next to Tony. "I've been doing basically the same job for 17 years. Everyone thinks I'm a bastard. I have no life, no family. I've been divorced three times. All my ex-wives hate me, which is probably why Abby scares me to death. And I spend all my free time in my basement building a damn boat!" Tony didn't say anything. He just looked down at the ground. "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I've been asking myself all night. I came to clear out my desk, but somehow ended up out here, just looking and thinking." Abby, who had been standing a couple feet away, stood to the side of Gibbs and Tony. "What am I supposed to do now, 'Mr. Gibbs'?"

"First of all, you can stop calling me that. I may not be your boss anymore, but I am not above smacking the back of your head still."

Tony smiled. "I think I'll miss that the most."

"Secondly, you are going to do what you're supposed to do. I don't know what that is though. Only you know what's best for you."

"What if…" Tony looked out over the water again. He leaned back against the tree. "What if she's what's best for me?" It was barely above a whisper.

Abby touched his arm. "There's only one way to find out."

Tony laughed. "Yeah. She'd probably chop me in half with her ninja skills. I can already hear it; 'Why are you just telling me this now, Tony? You are leaving tomorrow and now you come and say all this? Ah! You ride me crazy!'" he said imitating Ziva.

"_Drive_ me crazy, Ziva," Abby said imitating Tony.

"Whatever," he said still trying to do her accent.

"Trust me. She would want to know." While she hugged him, she glanced over at Gibbs. "Then again, maybe my instincts shouldn't be trusted." Gibbs didn't take his eyes off of hers.

"He's afraid of losing you," Tony whispered in her ear, still holding on to her.

"Then he should stop pushing me away."

Tony turned his head towards Gibbs. "You're a lucky man, _Jethro_. She's beautiful and smart." Gibbs stuffed his hands in his pockets and moved away, closer to the riverbank, with his back to them.

Abby rested her forehead on Tony's shoulder. "Oh, Tony," she said into his shirt.

"Abby, what happened between you two?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I did not see the first 2 episodes of this new season, season 6. I don't know what happened after Vance reassigned everyone, so please give me a little leeway here.**

**A/N 2: No smut, but descriptive kissing! Sorry.**

* * *

_Earlier that day…_

Abby was sitting on Gibbs' desk while the team was upstairs with the Director. Ducky had headed back down to Autopsy. Gibbs came bounding down the stairs. _He looks pissed_, she thought. Gibbs came around his desk and threw three confidential files into a drawer. "Gibbs, what's going on?" He took his ID badge from his inside coat pocket and threw that in the drawer as well. "Gibbs?" Moving back around his desk, he patted her knee and headed for the elevators. Tony, Ziva, and McGee stood in a line to block his way.

"Boss?" Tony asked, unsure of what to do.

Gibbs looked from Tony, to Ziva, to McGee, and back to Tony. "I'm not your boss," he said backing away and taking the stairs.

"What does he mean?" Abby's voice sounded concerned. Tony sat down at his desk, staring at the blank computer screen. Ziva sat on the edge of her desk and looked at the ground. "McGee, talk to me. Vance didn't fire him, did he?"

"No," said McGee. He turned and looked in Tony and Ziva's direction. "We've been reassigned."

"What?!" McGee told Abby about what the new Director had said. "You're leaving tomorrow?!" she asked Tony. "Well, we need to go out now. Right now. One last time. All together."

"Can't," Tony said while still staring at his blank screen. "Got to go home and pack." He got up from the desk. "Things I need to get in order." He headed for the elevator.

"Tony!" Ziva jumped up from her desk and watched him disappear behind the closing doors.

* * *

Abby changed into a spare set of clothes she had in her office while McGee and Ziva talked with Ducky. They met at Kelsey's Bar 20 minutes later. Ziva was downing shots as soon as she sat down. An hour later, Ducky was nursing his second scotch. McGee hadn't even taken a sip of his first beer yet. Abby only ordered a soda. She wanted to check in on Gibbs and see Tony before the night was done. She left the bar after only an hour, making plans to see Ziva the next day.

She decided to go see Gibbs first. She figured he would rush her out anyway. Pulling into his driveway, she put the car in park, and headed for the back door. It was closer to the basement.

"What took you so long?" she heard a voice from the living room ask her. Walking in there, she found Gibbs lying on the couch.

Abby sat on the coffee table next to an open bottle and a full glass of Bourbon. Holding up the nearly empty bottle, she asked, "How much have you had to drink?"

"None." His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed. Abby could only imagine what he was seeing.

"I hear you're getting a new team." His eyes fluttered, but they didn't fully open. "Tony's leaving in the morning."

"Yup."

"Why aren't you drinking?"

"Not enough left to matter."

"I can only stay for a bit. Can I do anything while I'm here? I could whip up something for dinner."

"Nope." Abby stood and ran her fingers through his silvery hair. "Okay. You can make coffee."

"Coming right up!" She bent down and kissed his forehead.

* * *

She stood in the kitchen, looking out the window to the back yard while the coffee brewed. All the drama, hurt, and anguish of the last few days were slowly creeping up on her. She closed her eyes and hung her head. She slowly turned it one way, then the other, trying to loosen the muscles. Gibbs put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed his thumbs up and down her neck. He felt her tense up under her. "Hey," he quietly said letting go of her. "What's on your mind. Abbs?"

"Can't you use your magic powers to figure it out."

He stared out the window with her. "Everyone dies."

"But why are so many killed?"

Gibbs wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. The coffee gurgled in the background. "The next time you are offered a job, you should take it."

"Oh, Gibbs." She tilted her head against his. "I am so in your head." He softly chuckled. "Getting rid of me is not going to keep me any safer."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"You're not about to break rule number 4, are you?"

"Driving home, I thought maybe this should be it. Maybe it was time to retire. For good. DiNozzo, McGee, David. Maybe they were all safer away from me."

"Hogwash." Gibbs turned his head and pulled back slightly to get a better look at her. The small smile that was on her face slipped away. "You wouldn't leave me, would you?"

"I didn't say that." Abby looked over at him. "I couldn't lose you, Abby." They continued to look into each other's eyes for what felt like hours. Slowly, Gibbs leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against hers; never taking his eyes off of hers. They weren't kissing, just touching.

Abby turned in his arms and faced him, trying not to put any more distance between them. She cupped his face in her hands, still not breaking their gaze. Abby closed her eyes. "Don't," Gibbs said against her lips. When she opened them he pressed his lips to hers with a sweet kiss. It only took Abby a second to respond. Her hands slid from his face, down his chest, and gripped his shirt. She pulled him as close to her as he could get. He teased her bottom lip with his tongue until she opened up for him. Looking into her eyes while they kissed, he couldn't resist her. Breaking the kiss, he took her hand and started leading her towards the stairs. At the bottom he stopped and said, "Hold on just one second." He ran back into the kitchen and turned off the coffee maker.


	6. Chapter 6

Abby lead Tony away from Gibbs before she started telling him about what had happened; from the time she got to Gibbs' house until they found Tony in the park. She did not, however, elaborate on what went on in the bedroom, even though Tony begged.

"I joked about it earlier, telling him I was in his head, but I honestly have no idea what he is thinking."

"You said yourself that he told you he didn't want to lose you. Now he's afraid he has. Or that he's messed it up." He looked to Gibbs who stayed on the bank to give Tony and Abby some space. "He said earlier that his ex-wives hated him which made him scared to death of you."

"Yeah. I heard." She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Tony scooted closer to her. He placed his arm across her shoulders. "We could always try to make him jealous," he said teasingly.

Abby laughed. "Yeah. That would go over well." She grabbed his chin and kissed his cheek. "You have to go," she told him. "Go see Ziva. Talk to her. And call McGee." Tony stood and helped her up. She wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight hug. "You are to call me everyday. Okay, maybe not everyday, but at least every other day. Send an email everyday. And we can video conference! It doesn't matter where you are or what time zone you are in either because I never sleep anyway. Oh! And whenever you come into port, you have to visit!" Her voice started to tremble.

"Abby. It's alright. I'll call, write, visit; all of it."

"I'm going to miss you so much." She was crying now. Hearing her cry, Tony couldn't stop his own tears from falling. Abby quickly released Tony and took a few steps away. "Your turn, Gibbs."

Tony was surprised to see Gibbs only a couple feet away, though he wasn't sure why. The man was always good at sneaking up on them. "Gibbs," Tony said with his hand extended and tears still streaking down his cheeks.

Gibbs took his hand in a firm shake. "Anthony." He then pulled his senior field agent, at least he used to be, into a hug.

"Isn't this breaking rule 12?" Tony asked. Gibbs laughed. Abby, not being able to resist herself, wrapped one arm around Tony and the other around Gibbs. Both of them wrapped an arm around her. Tony pulled away, quickly pecked Abby's lips, and took off in a run for his car.

Gibbs still had his arm around Abby as they watched him leave the parking lot. "He's right, you know," Gibbs said to her. "I'm afraid. Afraid that I'll somehow lose you like I've lost everyone else."

"Then why did you keep pushing me away tonight?"

"I thought it had meant more to me than it did to you. And when you said you had to go, it…it was what I had been dreading while we were lying there."

"That's ridiculous, Gibbs! It meant so much to me. When you didn't say anything afterwards, I thought you were regretting it all. Then, with the negative attitude…I wasn't sure what you were thinking."

"I think," he said leading her to the car, "we should go back and talk about it."

"You mean, while you work on your boat?"

"I thought that was a given."

Abby stopped them. She leaned in and kissed him. Gibbs closed his eyes. "Don't," she said, breaking the kiss. When his eyes opened, she smiled and said, "I like it when you look at me."

~Das Ende~


End file.
